Saturday, December 31, 2011

Tried to get my good friend Kelly into Jenny Lewis and Rilo Kiley. No sale. Not a fan of her voice. It baffles me when I hear that from people with such good taste. She didn't seem to mind RK guitarist Blake Sennett's voice when I played her a song by his band, the Elected.

Friday, December 30, 2011

"You can just imagine the work that we do in a military environment," said Mark Ridley, deputy director of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, adding, "you need to be in your right mind when you do a job. That's why the Navy has always taken a zero tolerance policy toward drugs."

What a crock! When I was driving cab in San Diego, I used to bring sailors right up to the boarding plank of their ship. They could be so drunk that a buddy would have to help them up, and make sure they didn't fall into the grimy waters of San Diego Bay. That was OK with the Shore Patrol, who were standing right there. But if a sailor was found with cannabis--so much as a minuscule roach--the sailor was going to the brig.

I agree that military personnel, at least while on duty, should be as sober as sober can be. After all they could be working with dangerous equipment, ordnance, or classified info--whatever; I don't know much about such matters, I'm just saying--so why is alcohol allowed? Is it not a drug, and a dangerous one at that? In fact, is not alcohol far more dangerous, statistically, than cannabis?

I can't shake the memory of those sailors, so drunk they could not walk unaided. However, I have never in my entire life seen anyone impaired like that under the influence of cannabis. So what gives?

I can't watch it. However, I have been a vegetarian since 1974. Maybe that's why I can't watch it. Can you? What do you think of Paul McCartney's observation that if slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian?

There are regulations meant to mitigate the suffering of animals, but these regulations are ROUTINELY ignored. Why? Because they are in place only because conscientious people have demanded them, but society doesn't really care about them, and so slaughterhouses violate the regulations WITH IMPUNITY.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

In this video are pictures of Yamuna Devi, the lead singer in "Govindam Adi Purusham", with A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, George Harrison, and his first wife Patti. Yamuna Devi passed away last week in Melbourne, Florida. She was 70.

Monday, December 26, 2011

I voted for the President, and I will vote for him again. But his allowing Justice Department resources to be wasted on busting medical marijuana dispensaries is outrageous. If you agree with me, click on this and tell him so!

In "Cannabis Club", Professor Luis Leon argues that the cannabis experience is spiritual. His article appears inFrequencies, a new online encyclopedia of spirituality, curated by Professor Kathryn Lofton and Professor John Lardas Modern.

Saturday, December 24, 2011

I am quite direct in my criticism of the conservative element in America, but I usually don't get as direct and personal as I will here. No, I save that for stuff that really gets my goat, and these days, I will admit that I have a lot of political goat to get.

At issue is the official White House Christmas card, which Sarah Palin disparaged in no uncertain terms. This well meaning Yahoo comment put me over the edge:

"You are correct... we have degenerated to nothing more than a bunch of cry babies who have no manners (and I mean EVERYONE) cheap shots from both sides. It is sad, there is no integrity anymore."

I disagree with this comment. Cheap shots from both sides? What cheap shots from Obama is she referring to? Presidents are rather good at avoiding them, at least once they are elected. To his credit, as far as I can remember, President George W. Bush also refrained from cheap shots on a personal level. Let the person who posted this comment show the cheap shots, or be quiet. Her fuzzy rhetoric is meaningless and does not contribute to understanding of what is happening, at all. The real truth is that ultra-conservatives (even her friends wouldn't call her a moderate, so that's telling us something) like Palin will stoop to any political stunt to discredit a President who in good faith--you may strongly disagree with his ideas and policies, but still, to the best of his convictions--is trying his best. As if a low-life like Palin is in any position to lecture anyone else. Palin is despicable, and that is no cheap shot.

The image above is George W. Bush's card from 2005, with his two dogs in the foreground. I could show the Christmas cards of other Republican Presidents, which also have no Christmas tree, and no discernible expression of "family, faith, and freedom." But you can see for yourself.

Speaking only of her public relations modus operandi and her comments about her political opponents--not her politics, mind you--I would like to know...just going by her statement about Obama's Christmas card, why does Palin not deserve the following appellation...

C WORD.

??? You tell me why Palin does not represent the most despicable impulse in our national life. Ironically, even more sad is that some people would certify that "family, faith, and freedom" are values that need to be illumined by the guiding light of Wasilla. I am fairly certain that even Richard Nixon would disapprove of her antics.

For some strange reason, I have a feeling that Palin would be fine with that.

The country is slowly going green. The lightest green indicates states where medical marijuana is legal. The darker green indicates decriminalized marijuana, and the darkest green indicates both legal medical and decriminalized status. When most or all of the states are green, politicians in Washington will be forced to overturn the Federal ban. I'm 55. I hope I live to see it.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Between their first and second albums, Pearl Jam contributed two brilliant jems to the soundtrack of a second-rate romcom called Singles. These songs would never appear on a proper PJ studio album, which is kind of cool. They're special.

a million people realize there's better things to do
than wasting their whole lives being accessible to you
like throwing off their clothes and marching down the avenue
singing "i'm in new york city, don't i look so pretty? hey!"

All the Beatles knew a little German, having rocked the Hamburg red light district for years. Paul knew a little more. This looks like footage from Germany after they became the biggest show business legend--among a few other things--in all history. It looks like some of these people knew they were witnessing history, no surprise there.

I can't resist posting something Hitchens would enjoy. What kills me is that in my opinion, who wrote the Bible is not as important as following the Bible's recommendations to live a decent life...but for some other people it is more important that you BELIEVE everything it says, and what is more, you BELIEVE everything that people who BELIEVE everything it says SAY about it, including who wrote it.

So for these people, believing and saying are more important than how you live. I believe Hitchens could not have said it better.

As an indefatigable cheerleader for atheism, Christopher Hitchens was the bane of religious believers everywhere. Now, I am a religious believer. Granted, I am a religious believer with mountains--not a pinch--of salt, and I am not unmindful that religion sometimes really does divide people. Nevertheless, I affirm the power of religion for good. So why post an obituary of Hitchens?

Well, some of my best friends are atheists, or are flirting with atheism. Sometimes they call themselves agnostic. Another thing is that I identify with Hinduism, which makes room for doubts about the existence of God--it's all about how you behave, not what you believe.

Hitchens' religion was based on getting people to not believe in God. What is belief? What is God? Although I "believe in God", there was something about Hitchens that I found amusing. This led me to believe that, perhaps, God also found Hitchens amusing. At any rate, Hitchens deserves a decent send-off because, as his friends would aver, he was a decent human being. As a Hindu, that is enough for me.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Quite often I get messages from the Marijuana Policy Project, an outfit dedicated to changing draconian government cannabis policy in the U.S. Here's what they sent me.

Dear Hector,

What is it going to take to get the President to end the war on medical marijuana patients? It's a simple answer:

You.

Fortunately, you have some powerful people on your side.

Two weeks ago, Governors Christine Gregoire (D-WA) and Lincoln Chafee (I-RI) petitioned the federal government to reclassify marijuana as a drug with legitimate medical value. The 99-page petition, loaded with references to scientific studies, laid to rest any legitimate claim that marijuana is not a medicine.

But President Obama continues to allow members of his administration to bully and intimidate medical marijuana providers and state and local officials who support them. He needs to know that the public wants him to respect state medical marijuana laws once and for all. That is why we are part of a coalition urging Americans to make today a medical marijuana day of action.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

A recent article says that marijuana use is on the rise with American youth, while drinking is declining. This is good news, because anyone with experience with both alcohol and marijuana knows which drug is more dangerous. Let's be absolutely clear--would you rather share the road with people who have been drinking, or with people who have been smoking? If you honestly don't know the answer to this question, do some research. While marijuana may slightly slow a driver's reaction time, smokers can compensate by being extra attentive, whereas drinkers cannot be extra attentive no matter how hard they try. Now if you are one of these chronic drinkers who is absolutely pickled and can drive legally drunk with no bad effects, I'm not referring to you. Just saying.

Read the article, which tries to link illegal marijuana use with legal marijuana use, with, ostensibly, the purpose of deprecating medical marijuana. Can you really trust anything the Drug Czar says? Or, at least, the Drug Czar's purpose for saying it?

One more point in this rant, please. What is the most viable way to persuade kids not to use artificial marijuana, which really is harmful? Legalize the real thing.

Monday, December 12, 2011

This song is one of the most famous, ever. It has become a cliche. That is all the more reason for us to post it, so that a youngster who has not heard it can know what the cliche is all about. Arguably not Led Zeppelin's greatest work, it was nevertheless their biggest hit.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Friday, December 09, 2011

Perry claims that because of people like Obama and his "war on religion", children can't pray in school, or openly celebrate Christmas. Well, as far as I can see, everyone except Jews, Muslims, and Jehovah's Witnesses are openly celebrating Christmas in America, and some of the aforementioned are too. And plenty of atheists as well. As for praying in school, who was it that said that as long as there are examinations in school, there will be prayers?

What the conservatives are fulminating about--not openly, but still fulminating--is that teachers no longer lead prayers. What they really want, but know they can't openly say, is that schools should go back to a standard that has been declared illegal. They want American schools to openly acknowledge Christianity everyday, in all of its functions.

But public schools represent the federal, state, and local governments of our nation, and our Constitution forbids government's involvement in religion. So for all of their ranting about the Constitution, they don't really respect it, do they?

Thursday, December 08, 2011

The Vancouver Suncaught up with Yoko who said, "John was about making the world a better place. He sang 'Gimme Some
Truth,' so when I see all the activism out there today, I feel like we
will turn the corner soon."

My friend Russ posted this clip on his Facebook page in commemoration of Lennon's murder 31 years ago.

And here's one of my favorite Lennon songs, though it was on a Beatles album--"The Ballad of John and Yoko."

Wednesday, December 07, 2011

"Right now I need to stay home and I don't need your company
Right now I need to be alone and I need you to stay away from me
I love the smell of your hair and the blue of your eyes
But you're far too complicated and you tell a lot of lies
I'll see what's right and what's wrong, I'll see what's true and what's fake
When the water gets cold and freezes on the lake."When The Water Gets Cold And Freezes On The Lake by Herman Düne on Grooveshark

The latest round of inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame have been announced. Topping the list are three bands--Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Beastie Boys and Guns N Roses--that had a very heavy influence on my tastes as a teenager and were among my favorite bands in the late 80's and deep into the 90's. While my affection for each of these bands has faded over the years for a multitude of reasons, each is a fantastic choice for induction and each have songs that I still enjoy periodically.

This song got into my head over the years through osmosis. It's one of those ubiquitous songs that plays endlessly in grocery stores and on easy listening radio stations. My friend and I spontaneously started singing this together on skype last night for no reason at all. Silly, fun times.